Preschool - part time hours is not acceptable???

[mamadadawahwah]

My 3yr old will be starting preschool this september. I had a chat with the principal who has advised me that full time attendance (4hrs per day) is obligatory and that it is not possible to incorporate ds into part time hours as it would be too disruptive for the rest of the class. My boy is ASD and the school is mainstream.

Anyone have a good comeback? I want my boy to go to a mainstream school to have access to other neurotypical kids and to socialise. The head hasnt come right out and said he should go to a "special school" but she is hinting at it.

Our local special school is dreadful and my boy isnt going to develop peer relationships there the same way.

Anyway, any suggestions on convincing this head that my son needs, and can only tolerate part time hours would be welcomed.

I suppose alternatively i could keep him in the school for four hours and let her deal with him when he turns into a whirling dervish after hour 2, but then that wouldnt fair on ds, and he wouldnt learn anything either.

thanks

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Hopefully someone else will know the relevant rules but isn't there legislation that says that schools have to make provision for children with disabilities? Presumably this would also apply to a pre-school too? It might be worth contacting IPSEA for some advice.

4hrs seems like a long time for a 3yr-old. My ds2's pre-school only has 2.5hr sessions.